SALT
RESEARCH
December 17, 2008
Emergency Presidential Relocation – NYC
The President’s arrival:
The limos would be brought into NYC the day before the event at 1’oclock.
They would be taken to the fire station where they can be kept secure until the arrival of the President.
The day of the event the President would fly on Air Force One from Andrews Airforce Base to JFK Airport.
He would be flown from JFK Airport on Marine 1, the Presidential Helicopter, to a landing zone (LZ) near St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This would most likely be the Wall Street LZ pier.
From there a motorcade would take him to the Cathedral.
There would be an NYPD car in the lead and the rear of the motorcade.
Emergency relocation sites when the President is moving:
The Secret Service will have scouted out an emergency relocation sites as part of the emergency action plan every two miles along the route. This would be either a fire stations or police stations as they are places they know they can secure.
Entering the Church
It’s possible that one entrance will be secured for the President while another is used for everyone else.
After the Attack in the Cathedral
Given the high number of Heads of State there would be a large number of Secret Service Agents in attendance. At the service at the National Cathedral after 9/11 the entire row behind the President was “guys with guns.” At the funeral for the Pope there was a whole section of the church cordoned off for the “guys with guns.”
The Secret Service would have arrived 5 days earlier and made an “evac plan” evacuation plan for the President and protectees.
When the attack occurs it would be total chaos. Everyone will “go to guns” and there will be a variety of security people with a different set of priority and plans.
The Secret Service’s tactical team, COUNTER ASSAULT TEAM (CAT) will immediately egress into the church as will the detail in the motorcade outside. The CAT team strategy is a, “sudden violent counter attack,” which is different from the NYPD’s emergency tactical approach.
With so many conflicting security details there would be guns pointing every which way and accidental discharge is entirely possible.
The President’s detail will immediately get the President out and knock over whoever they need to while doing it.
The Secret Service will have scouted out a predesignated “holding room” in the church and may take the President there.
Because the floor has been blown up the Secret Service may decide the Cathedral isn’t a safe situation, forgo the holding room and get the President out as quickly as possible and into his car.
The President’s Secret Service details immediate priorities would be:
Shielding
Distance
Movement
The Mil Aide, who carries the football, would immediately activate the Emergency Action Plan (EA). This would involve having a helicopter (not the same Presidential helicopter that brought the President in) put into orbit.
If the President’s Security detail decides to use the helicopter the pilots are trained to bring it in pretty much anywhere. They could pick him up at the Wall Street LZ, they could land in an intersection that’s been cordoned off, they could even practically bring it in and land it on the roof of the President’s car if need be.
Where to Take the President?
It is most likely the President would be taken back to Air Force 1. If that isn’t possible for political or safety reasons there are several other possibilities.
Short term he might be taken to the Police Station or Fire Station nearby that has been secured and determine where to go from there.
Often the Secret Service would use the Secret Service Field Office in whatever city they are in. This is a place that can easily be secured. In NYC however this wouldn’t be the first choice because the Secret Service Field Office is in Brooklyn and it’s a pain in the ass to get there.
Another possibility would be the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, located right across from the UN. The Secret Service would never take the President into the UN itself. It is the least secure place anywhere to take the President because, like embassies, the UN tries to claim the inside as territory belonging to each country which means they have very little control over who is there and who might have guns. Someone could say they are security detail for some country but really be a terrorist. The President only goes there once a year and it’s always a huge mess. The U.S. Mission across the street however is a building they could secure.
There is also a suite at the Waldorf Astoria which is used by the US Ambassador to the UN that could be secured.
What Would Happen to the Other VIPs?
There would also be a relocation plan for the other VIPs at the Cathedral under Secret Service protection. It might involve putting them into buses, putting them on a barge and floating them over to Jersey. It’s also possible they would be taken back to wherever they were staying which had already been secured or taken to their plans which have been waiting for them. In general they would try to start pushing them out of town as quickly as possible.
Security forces of other countries
Other countries, like the Russians, would have their own security detail. The Russians would bring quite a significant one and they often fly their own Zil limo over.
Generally the VIPs and their security are at the Secret Service’s mercy because they have the means of transportation and have scouted out the situation.
If the VIP is using a Secret Service car then they must use a Secret Service Driver and give the right front seat to Secret Service. The VIPs own security is welcome to ride in back with the protectee.
The Security detail for the “dead” Russian President would probably stay behind at the Cathedral.
